Page 12 of The Lyon’s Lass

Maisy was awoken the next morning by her very own lady’s maid, Abigail. She looked around, briefly confused as to where she was. The well-appointed room she found herself in was not her own.

The muted blue walls and bedding were not the ones she saw each morning when she was in town. The three large windows opposite her bed showed no hint of the sun.

“It is not yet dawn,” Maisy said while wincing from Abigail’s light.

“I was told to wake and ready you for our voyage.”

Voyage.

That single word brought forth all the memories of the evening before.

Maisy was married.

“We are leaving today for Scotland. Do you plan to come with us?” Maisy couldn’t hide the hope in her voice.

“I couldn’t let you and your brother go off without me, now could I?” the younger woman said with a smile.

“I wouldn’t have asked you, but I’m so glad to have you with us. Everything else is so unknown.”

“’Tis an adventure, miss—that is, my lady.”

Maisy waved off the formality.

“Truth is, I have family in Scotland, so going with you means I may get to see them for the first in some time.”

“Scotland is a big place, but as soon as we are settled we will write to them so you might visit.”

“Very good. Now, let’s get you ready to set sail.”

Maisy didn’t know the first thing about what one might wear onboard a ship, so Abigail dressed her in a sturdy morning dress of dark gray.

Jack was already at the breakfast table eating when Maisy arrived. He smiled and held up a piece of ham and motioned a circle at his stomach.

“They have good ham here?” she asked making sure to look at him when she spoke.

He nodded and dug into his meal once more.

It didn’t take much to win over Jack. He was hungry most of his waking hours so good food went a long way to owning his heart.

She waited for a moment thinking it would be rude to start eating without her husband, but the housekeeper entered.

“Go ahead and eat, Lord Kesson has already finished and is out, attending to business this morning. He said he would arrive within the hour to gather you and the rest of your things.”

“Please have the kitchen pack a basket of food that will save on the ship,” Maisy asked. She had been the lady of Prevose House, so she was accustomed to telling the staff what was needed and seeing it done.

The housekeeper hesitated only a second before nodding once.

“Yes, mum. I’ll see to it at once.”

Maisy went to the library and searched through the offerings for books she’d enjoy reading on their travels as well as books for her brother. He enjoyed reading when he wasn’t painting, riding, or eating.

With the chime of the clock, Iain arrived and seemed pleased to find them waiting in the drawing room, their bags already on the carriage they would take to the docks. He looked her up and down and gave a nod, apparently approving of what she’d decided to wear.

He helped her into the carriage and said nothing when Abigail and Jack pushed in, leaving him a small space by the window of the carriage. Fortunately, it was not so long a ride.

Jack made a face at the smell, and Maisy only just managed to keep one from her face as well.

“Aye. It’s quite ripe here on the docks. It will smell better when we get onboard and out to sea,” Iain said.